Snap-seal.



I E. J. BROOKS.

SNAP SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED 1320.12, 1911.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oriiion.`

EDWARD J. BROOKS, 0F EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

SNAP-SEAL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed December 12, 1911.

Serial N0. 665,302.

lead and wire seals and otherl press-fastened or press-fastenable sealing devices, to se cure the doors of railway freight cars and for other like purposes. Examples of such snap seals are set forth in my previousspeciications forming part of United States Letters Patent No. 923,014, dated May 25, 1909, and No. 1,009,277, dated November' 21, 1911, and other Letters Patent therein referred to.

The present invention is more particularly additional to the improvements in snap seals set forth in said specifications of Letters Patent No. 923,014, and No. 1,009,277, which relate respectively to those snap seals in which the ends of a one-part shackle of sheet metal are inseparably interlocked with each other within a sheet-metaly seal part and only one end of the shackle is snap-fastened, and to sheet-metal snap seals of the bulb type.

The present invention consists in certain novel combinations of parts, in snap seals of said bulb type; and in an improved snap seal in which only one end of the shackle is snap fastened embodying said combinations as a whole, as hereinafter'particularly described and claimed.

The leading objects of this invention are to more securely inclose the snap fastenings of the improved seal, with reference to preventing any tampering therewith in the snap-fastened seal; and to do this in a neat and simple two-part seal of the commonly preferred bulb type.

Other objects will be set forth in the general description which follows.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bulbshaped seal part as it appears before the parts are united; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the improved shackle; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the seal part as in Fig. l, with one end of the shackle loosely inserted therein preliminary to fastening this end,

.To interact with the 4 1s a sectional view of this portion as the seal leaves the factory; Fig. 5 represents a cross section on the line A*B, Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is an elevation of the seal as it leaves the factory; Fig. 7 is an elevation of the same seal after the snap fastening operation; Fig. 8 represents a magnified cross section on the line C-D, Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 represents a longitudinal section through all on the line BEF, Fig. e.

Like reference characters refer to like' parts in all the figures.

The improved Snap seal is composed of a bulb-shaped seal part a and a Aflexible shackle, b, both of any suitable sheet metal, and each complete in one piece. 1

The seal part a is in the shape of a cup or vase, preferably and conveniently round in cross section; with its upper edge or lip turned in, and a central round inlet thus formed, as represented respectively at 1 and 2 in Fig. 1 and other figures.

part a is originally stamped with Y,

The seal its inlet 2 of sufficient diameter to freely admit the larger end (3) of the two ends, 3 and 4, of the shackle b, as represented in dotted lines in Fig. ends being tubular. The seal part is then compressed by a suitable die to contract said inlet 2 tightly around the shackle end 3, as represented in Fig. 4 and succeeding figures.

contracted lip 1 and inlet 2 of the seal part a said shackle end 3 is constructed with outwardly projecting upturned spurs, 5 and 6 formed by punching and bending, and a 7 superjacent embossed guard collar, 7; said lip 1, when contracted,

projecting inward into the space between said spurs and said collar, as shown in Figs. 4V and 9. The etliciency of the permanent connection of the seal part and shackle in this waybefore the seal leaves the factory is readily determined by the customary pulling tests at the factory and by users. For snapfastening the other shackle end 4, said end 3 is further provided with inwardly projecting snap catches, 8 and 9, which may be and preferably are similar to said spurs 5 and 6; and said other shackle end 4 is provided with catch holes, 8 and 9', preferably and conveniently in series, to admit and interlock with said snap catches 8 and 9, respectively, as represented in Figs. 8 and 9. The tubular shackle ends 3 and 4 are so proportioned that said end Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

the latter being shown in dotted lines; F ig.l

3; both of said shackle:

4 is slidably insertible into said end 3, and these two portions of the improved shackle are integral with a flexible connecting and labeling body portion, 10, Figs. 2, 6 and 7, by which they are flexibly connected, and which may be provided with any desired lettering or other distinguishing marks as represented by A B R Y-7953, in Figs. 2 and 6.

The smaller shackle end 4l of the seal as it leaves the factory (Fig. 6) is passed through a pair of car-door staples c and d, Fig. 7, or the like, and, after bending the body portion 10, as required, is inserted into the open upper end of the shackle end 3 until the click or repeated click of the snap catches S and 9 is heard. The seal may then be tested by a pull, and will be found to be secure against being fraudulently tampered with.

To remove the seal the flat and thin body portion 10 may be readily cut through.

The spurs 5 and 6, snap catches 8 and 9 and catch holes S and 9 may obviously be increased or reduced in number; the distinguishing marks on the body portion l0 may either be embossed, as represented, or printed by a rubber stamp or otherwise; and other like modifications -will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described said improvement, I claim as my invention, and desire to patent under this specification:

1. In a snap seal, the combination with a bulbshaped seal part of a sheet-metal shackle having tubular ends provided with the respective members of a snap-fastening device and a flexible connecting portion, one of said ends being slidablyinsertible within the other and adapted to be snap fastened therein against withdrawal, and the other end being inseparably secured within and inclosed by said seal part.

2. In a snap seal, the combination with a bulb-shaped seal part of a sheet-metal shackle having tubular ends provided respectively with snap holes and inwardly projecting snap catches to interlock with said holes, and a flexible connecting portion, one of said ends being slidably insertible within the other and adapted to be snapastened therein against withdrawal, and

the other end being inseparably secured within and inclosed by said seal part.

3. The combination, in a snap seal, of a bulb-shaped seal part having an inlet hole surrounded by an inturned lip, and a sheetmetal shackle having tubular ends adapted respectively to fit within said inlet and to be slidably insertible within the other, and provided with the respective members of a snap-fastening device, said tubular ends being connected by a flexible body portion, and t-he outer tubular end being further constructed with outwardly projecting spurs to interact with said inturned lip of the seal part. j

4c. The combination, in a snap seal, of a bulb-shaped seal part having an inlet hole surrounded by an inturned lip, and a sheetmetal shackle having tubular ends adapted respectively to fit within said inlet and to be slidably insertible Within the other, and provided with the respective members of a snap fastening device, said tubular ends being connected by a flexible body portion, and the outer tubular end being further constructed with outwardly projecting spurs and a superjacent outwardly projecting guard collar to interact with said inturned lip of the seal part.

5. An improved snap seal composed of a bulb-shaped seal part of sheet metal having an inlet surrounded by a lip turned inward and downward, and compressible to contract said inlet and lip, and a sheet metal shackle having a tubular end provided with outwardly and upwardly projecting spurs and a superjacent outwardly projecting guard collar to interact with said lip, and inwardly and downwardly projecting snap-fastening catches, a smaller tubular end at the other extremity of the shackle slidably insertible -within the end first named and provided with catch holes to interlock with said catches, and a flexible labeling portion con necting said tubular ends, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

EDWARD J. BROOKS.

Witnesses:

LILA Gr. MUDGE, ELLEN J. Brooks.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Tatents,

Washington, D. C. 

